Orchard cover crop implement



March a, 1945. c. AREK 2,370,981

ORCHARD COVE? CROP IMPLEMENT Filed Aug. 4, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 6, 1945. c. MAREK ORCHARD COVER CROP IMPLEMENT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 4, 1942 tially on the line 5 of Figure' l.

Patented Mar. 6, 1945 UNITED TE PAT p 2370,9231 g V ORCHARD COVER oRoE IMPLEMENT oha'ries' rrarek, Piru; c nt. I p I Application Anal, 1942, serial No. 453,502

1 Claim; (o1. i 52) This invention relates to orchard 'cover'crop implements and more particularly" to an implement applicable for use in the cultivation, seeding and furrowing of an'orchar'd.

In the maintenance and care of an orchard; particularly citrus and like fruit orchards, it i common practice to plant between the trees *c'er tain grasses commonly designated as cover crop. This cover crop is permitted to grow even while'the orchard is being irrigated. After the cover crop is grown it is usually plowed into the soil.

It isan object of this invention to provide an implement particularly applicable for the 0111- tivatio'n, planting and furrowing of an orchard.

Another object of this. invention i to provide an implement including a seed distributing means, cultivating means, and a furrow-forming means, all applicable for simultaneous operation for the purpose of seeding, cultivating and fur rowing an orchard. i v

Other objects and advantages of this invention it is believed will be apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof as illustrated intheaccompanying draw ings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of bodying my invention.

an implement em- Figure 2- is a sectional side elevation taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure 1. Figure 3 is a fragmental sectional plan 'view taken substantially on the line 33 of Figure 2 of the control draft bar embodied in my inven-- tion. I

' Figure 4 is a fragmental plan of the seedermechanism embodied in, my invention.

Figure 5 is a sectional end view taken substan- Figure 6 is a fragmental sectional takenon the line 6-6 of Figure 1. I Figure 7 is a fragmental sectional view taken substantially on theline'l-I of Figure 6. V

In the preferred embodiment onm invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings; l -indicates' a frame which includes a pair of spaced runners 2 connected together by meansof laterals 3 and 4. Connected to the frame I is a hitch 5 which may be of any suitable or desirable construction. Mounted on the frame I and of any suitable or desirable construction are seed'boxes 6 and 1. Spaced on the frame l to the rear 'o'f the seed boxes 6 and l is a cultivator shaft 8 upon which cultivator points} are spaced. The shaft elevation 0 This permits the cultivator points to bemoved into and out ofcultiv'ating position, which means will hereinafter be described. Positioned upon thefra'me 1 to the rear of the cultivator shaftt is a furrower-supporting shaft l I carrying a suitable number of furrow shovels 12 upon carriers I3; 'The shaft II' is journaled in-bearings'M carri'edon bearing brackets IS-piVoted to the runners 2 as indicated at"16p The'rear'extensions of the brackets l5 are pivoted to links H at Ha, and'these links are pivoted at 11b to the runners 2 to limit the pivoting movement-of the. brackets l5 when the furrowing'shovels l2 aremoved to position to form furrows. Suitable means are provided forthe control of the furrowing shovels l2, which meansmay be of any 'suitableconstruction as hereinafter set forth. i i

- The carriers I3 as illustratedin Fig. 1, are four'in number tocorrespond with the four fur rowers l2; and the two outboard'carri'ers I3 are provided with tumblers I3a. These tumblers overlie the curved bodies of the carriers or shanks l3 of the furrow shovels I2. One of these tumblers is shown in side elevation in Fig.- 2 of the drawings, and in this view the forward 'portion of the tumbler is illustrated in dotted lines,

projecting. downwardly and'forwardly from the forward portion of its carrier l3 when the shovels I I2' are supported in' the position "illustrated in Fig. 2. These tumblers are-preferably attached to their corresponding shovel shanks or carriers [3 by clamping bolts 13b (see Fig.1).

Means are provided for distributing the seed from: the seed boxes 6 and 'L Wh'ich means may be of any suitable or desirable-construction and are herein illustrated as including perforated dis-- tributor tubes 18 which are positioned under the perforated throat plate [9 and areadapted to be rotated by uitable means such; for examplaas' by the medium of a chain or belt'29 trained over a sprocket 2I- mounted at the-end ofeach tube I The tubes |8- are provided with a plurality of seed distributing apertures 22 through which" the seeds fall. Mounted in the seed boxes 6 and;

1 are closure plates 23 containing apertures 24 throughwwhich the seeds pass when the distributor plates 23 are moved so that their apertures 24 align withcorresponding apertures formed in the plates [9.

-Means are provided for actuating the closure plates 23 to and from :closed position, which [is journaled i'n bearings lll'upon the frazrie l'." 55 engaged by-cams 26 formedon levers 21. The

seeding mechanism, mechanism for raising the cultivator means to non-cultivating position, and

means interconnected between the cultivator l0 raising mechanism and the seeding mechanism for discontinuing the operation of the seeding mechanism when the cultivator mechanism is raised, means for raising the furrowing shovels from ground-engaging position, and means interconnected between the cultivator raising means and the furrowing means for holding the furrowing shovels in ground-engaging position when the cultivator means is in cultivating position.

a CHARLES MAREK. 

